Sardar Akbar Bugti. A Patriot or a Traitor.

[qsaark]

People say that Sardar Akbar Bugti was a tyrannical Sardar and a traitor so whatever Musharraf did with him was justified. These people are not only ignorant of history but are foolish friends of Pakistan. Sardar Bugti was studying in the Aitchison College before Pakistan came into being and was very impressed with Subhash Chandra Bose, who did armed struggle against the British Raj. In 1947, a limited referendum was conduced in Balochistan. The imperial Jarga and the Quetta Municipality had to chose between the India and the Pakistan. Abdul Samad Achakzai did an active conveyancing in the favor of India whereas Sardar Akbar Bugti and several other Baloch Sardars casted their votes in the favor of Pakistan. Sardar Akbar Bugti was elected unopposed on the National Assmbly seat which got vacated due to the demise of Dr. Khan Saheb in 1957. It was the time when Malik Freoze Khan Noon was the Prime Minister. He initially appointed Sardar Akbar Bugti as the Home Minister and later the Minister of Defense. Based on the suggestion of Sardar Akbar Bugti, Premier Noon initiated the dialogues with Oman to get back the Gawader. Sardar Akbar Bugti personally took part in these negotiations and after the payment of six million dollars, Gawader finally became the part of Pakistan. This indeed was a great service of the Premier Malik Feroze Khan Noon and Sardar Akabar Bugti for Pakistan.

In 1958 when the first Martial Law was imposed, Sardar Akbar Bugti vehemently apposed it. Sardar Akbar Bugti was arrested along with Khan Mir Ahmed Yaar Khan and Nawab Nouroz Khan and was detained in the Match Jail. Nawab Nouroz was sentenced to life imprisonment while Sardar Akbar Bugti was sentenced to death by the Military Courts. Later on, Sardar Akbar Bugti’s death sentence was reversed by the President Ayub Khan on the recommendation of Z.A. Bhutto. Sardar Akbar Bugti was finally released after he served 18 months in the Jail and paying Rs 50,000 in fine. Sardar Akbar Bugti was arrested once again in 1962 for his anti-Martial Law speech in Kakri Ground Karachi. This time, Sardar Akbar Bugti was kept in the jails of Lail Pur (Faisal Abad) and Montgomery (Sahiwaal). Sardar Akbar Bugti was released after he served five years sentence in 1967. Even after this long sentence, Sardar Akbar Bugti refused to bow to the oppression. He joined the anti-dictatorship movement and was arrested again on May 4, 1968 under the “Defense of Pakistan Rules”. This time he was kept in the Mianwali Jail in the ‘C’ class. Right in front of the door of his cell, cow dung was burnt and peppers were sprinkled over it. The burning smoke would enter his cell and Sardar Akbar Bugti would cough. He was given contaminated food, the ‘moral’ criminals were encouraged to use foul language with him, and was given electric shocks while sleeping. Even after all this oppression, when he reused to bow down, he was finally given poison in the food on July 30, 1968. He became unconscious soon after eating the meal and foaming at the mouth. An inmate named ‘Muqddam’ understood what had happened; he inserted his fingers in Sardar Akbar Bugti’s throad and made him to vomit. Sardar Akbar Bugti survived but was bed ridden for a long time.

General Yahya Khan came into power and he released Sardar Akbar Bugti. He was however, not allowed to take part in the elections of 1970. Even after all this oppression, Sardar Akbar Bugti never talked against the Pakistan. In 1972, the Premier Z.A. Bhutto dismissed the Chief Minister Ata Ullah Mengal and the Governor Ghous Bakhsh Bizinjo and seeked cooperation from Sardar Akbar Bugti. Sardar Akbar Bugti was appointed as the Governor in the name of securing Pakistan. Mengal and Bugti had severe differences. Balochistan’s veteran journalist Anwar Sajidi had terms with the both. Anwar Sajidi says that in November 1973, Atta Ullah Mengal’s residence in Karachi was raided on which Sardar Akbar Bugti got very upset. He said I might have lots of differences with Atta Ullah Mengal but raid on his house is a raid on my house. During this time, Army started an operation in Balochistan and only after 9 months as the Governor, Sardar Akbar Bugti resigned in December 1973. If he was a self-interested person, he could have easily remained in power until 1977, but he decided not to become a part of the Army operation. It was the same Army operation that resulted in differences between him and Musharraf. When he insisted on arresting Captain Hammad who had raped Dr. Shazia Khalid, the rockets started to fall on Dera Bugti. Bugti kept negotiating with the Government until the very end. Choudhry Shujaat and Mushahid Hussein had negotiated with Bugti through Nargis Baloch and they had reached to an agreement but Musharraf always used the negotiation for betrayal. He betrayed Bugti and killed him.

Note: The actual column was written by Mr. Hamid Mir in Urdu and it appeared in the Daily Jang http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/sep2009-daily/14-09-2009/col4.htm. I have translated the selected paragraphs for the readers who can not read in Urdu.

 

[Interceptor]

"Anti-dictatorship movement" was that the one where students of chanted "Ayub Kuta...Ayub Kuta" it was historical. its a shame they tortured and humiliated him in Jail. But I just don't understand why Hamid started his article with "People say" I think they are the ones that weren't allowed to say. Pakistan was held hostage by Musharraf's regime; no sane Pakistani gov would kill its people in the name of politics and Musharraf did it. He should have added that Bugti vocal in views about Musharraf's dictatorship and lashed his credibility whenever he was given the chance.

 

[Yusuf]

Well Pakistsn use to justify terror against India by saying one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter. So there goes. He was a freedom fighter for the Baloch and whatever term you want to use for Pakistan.

That there has been deep resentment against Pak in Balochistan is well known an how it was forced to accede to Pakistan. If according to Pakistan, kashmiris have a right to self determination, thenso do the Balochis.

 

[musalman]

No Vadera or Sardar can be patriot be it a Pakistani Patriot or Baluchistani Patriot. Marg bar Tuwana Marg bar Zardaris Marg bar Bugti Mari etc etc etc

 

[qsaark]

No Vadera or Sardar can be patriot be it a Pakistani Patriot or Baluchistani Patriot. Marg bar Tuwana Marg bar Zardaris Marg bar Bugti Mari etc etc etc

You may be right, but what exactly is the definition of 'Patriot'? What qualities you think makes one a 'Patriot' and one a 'Traitor'? I am eager to know it from you.

 

[Interceptor]

Well Pakistsn use to justify terror against India by saying one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter. So there goes. He was a freedom fighter for the Baloch and whatever term you want to use for Pakistan.

That is generalizing Pakistan, you should remind yourself countries have interests of proclamations, where once the US too uses to train outfits for its military goals. We can say the same in regards of India who supplied weapons and sponsored the Bangladeshi uprising and Tamil uprising you too have dark history. The same can said about India and terrorist as you pointed.

Akbar Bugti was a politician he was united with us Pakistanis and against a separate Balochistan that is why we remember him.

That there has been deep resentment against Pak in Balochistan is well known an how it was forced to accede to Pakistan. If according to Pakistan, kashmiris have a right to self determination, thenso do the Balochis.

Balochistan has many problems and we know about them the average Pakistani and politician who sits in power, but the grievances is that no political government has ever been given the chance to tackle it, the shortest of gov was less than a year and the longest was less than two years. How can any government sincerely fix such national problems? Balochistan is unlike any Indian province, it is mountainous region with little fertile ground and huge, we have many logistical problems the roads there in terrible condition and the ones that have been built well need constant maintenance. Since 70s we have been tunnelling through Blochistan to connect it between each other. Its complex, they have lots of resources and yet more are to be discovered, there use to be a foreign companies working there mining precious minerals. But they left not because there was a Bloch uprising but due to logistical problems poorly maintained rail link kept them away.

Kashmir is a disputed region and their political movements want to join Pakistan, they have their own language yet they prefer to read and write in urdu, the Kashmir’s bear our national flag that dispute has nothing to do with this debate. The fact is the article is reiterating that Bugti was murdered and his political struggle was for Pakistan.

 

[tarunraju]

Uh no..this point still holds ground, regardless of Kashmir being disputed and Balochistan not (technically it is disputed when the people want autonomity and their voice is suppressed in an international stage). It's a flawless argument:

If according to Pakistan, kashmiris have a right to self determination, then so do the Balochis.

 

[Interceptor]

Uh no..this point still holds ground, regardless of Kashmir being disputed and Balochistan not (technically it is disputed when the people want autonomity and their voice is suppressed in an international stage). It's a flawless argument:

Its flawed since we are discussing Bugti and he opted for Pakistan so there you have your argument.

 

[musalman]

You may be right, but what exactly is the definition of 'Patriot'? What qualities you think makes one a 'Patriot' and one a 'Traitor'? I am eager to know it from you.

Respecting the Human Rights. Regarding what qualify me, the answer is nothing I may be a patriot for a bunch and traitor for another one. I know its a thin line but that does not mean one should not express what he thinks

 

[qsaark]

Tarun,

Kashmir and Balochistan are not comparable. Bangladesh and Balochistan may be. Balochistan is very much a part of Pakistan, and was never a disputed territory. You do not find any UN resolutions on it being a disputed territory or what not. The uprising is indeed there, but not because it was a disputed territory, but because the inhabitants of Balochistan are ignored by successive Governments in past sixty or so years and are deprived of their rights. Lets discuss the issue but not distort it.

 

[qsaark]

Respecting the Human Rights. Regarding what qualify me, the answer is nothing I may be a patriot for a bunch and traitor for another one. I know its a thin line but that does not mean one should not express what he thinks

You have not replied to my question. There is a clear demarcation between a traitor and a patriot or at least there should be. However there have been some confusion among Pakistanis whom to label what. And that is why I need to know what your take on this is. Your reply is important so we could continue our debate further.

 

[qsaark]

Tiger USA,

I started this thread so we could discuss about Sardar Akbar Bugti.

 

[Singh]

No Vadera or Sardar can be patriot be it a Pakistani Patriot or Baluchistani Patriot. Marg bar Tuwana Marg bar Zardaris Marg bar Bugti Mari etc etc etc

You may be right, but what exactly is the definition of 'Patriot'? What qualities you think makes one a 'Patriot' and one a 'Traitor'? I am eager to know it from you.

Respecting the Human Rights. Regarding what qualify me, the answer is nothing I may be a patriot for a bunch and traitor for another one. I know its a thin line but that does not mean one should not express what he thinks

You have not replied to my question. There is a clear demarcation between a traitor and a patriot or at least there should be. However there have been some confusion among Pakistanis whom to label what. And that is why I need to know what your take on this is. Your reply is important so we could continue our debate further.

A definition of patriotism is : extreme pride in the history, culture and successes, etc. of one's nation; loyalty to one's nation.

Musalman saheb has mentioned a very important point. I have personally observed that when it comes to patriotism Pakistanis tend to have very different views. This confusion is not so pronounced in India.

Some Pakistanis are proud of Indus Valley Civilization, many are proud of the Afghan, Turkic rulers. Some want peace with India, some want war; some are for a shariat based government while some are for secular democracy.

Yet almost all these view-holders call themselves patriotic Pakistanis who want Pakistan to become what it was envisaged to be.

So what's the definition of patriotism as per Pak PoV ?

Another point almost all Pakistani groups except Punjabis have severe grievances against the government; Sindhis are fighting for greater economic rights; Bstan for secessions; Taliban for a shariat govt.; Seraikis for greater autonomy etc.

Clearly enforcement of one culture(Urdu Language etc.) nor islamisation has been able to forge nationalism in Pakistan, so what's the way forward ?

There was an interesting debate on NDTV last night on the link-language issue, and the consensus was that India doesn't adhere to European notions of nationalism, we are a plural multi-everything country and the only link-language that can possibly work is English given its economic appeal.

 

[Singh]

Well Pakistsn use to justify terror against India by saying one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter. So there goes. He was a freedom fighter for the Baloch and whatever term you want to use for Pakistan.

That there has been deep resentment against Pak in Balochistan is well known an how it was forced to accede to Pakistan. If according to Pakistan, kashmiris have a right to self determination, thenso do the Balochis.

Unfortunately India has accepted that Kashmir is a bilateral issue, so Pakistanis will always raise this plank.

Balochistan though is a matter between the Baloch community and Pak govt.
I don't think Pak govt would be interested in losing half their country, again.

However, any community that feels it is not being accorded due rights, freedoms is welcome to protest. Pakistan, should try to listen to the grievances of the Baloch people and not aggravate the situation.

 

[tarunraju]

Musalman saheb has mentioned a very important point. I have personally observed that when it comes to patriotism Pakistanis tend to have very different views. This confusion is not so pronounced in India.

Some Pakistanis are proud of Indus Valley Civilization, many are proud of the Afghan, Turkic rulers. Some want peace with India, some want war; some are for a shariat based government while some are for secular democracy.

Yet almost all these view-holders call themselves patriotic Pakistanis who want Pakistan to become what it was envisaged to be.

Maybe at a different scale, but micro-patriotism exists throughout India. Each community is proud of its past and present, people from each linquistic background and location in India use occasions of regional holidays to express their pride. (eg: Onam is an expression of Malyalee pride throughout India, and Malyalees from all religious backgrounds celebrate it).

Here's an example of an Indian micro-patriot:

"Mera Bharat Mahaan, but Singh is King"

So you can only imagine something similar in Pakistan. The Balochis have cohesiveness to their kind, while also having adhesiveness with the rest of the country.

 

[Singh]

Tarun Raju, you need to do a bit of reading on the subject.

The Baloch are waging a separatist campaign in Pakistan. Many Balochis refuse to be called Pakistanis.

In India,the phenomenon which you have termed "micro-patriotism" is a hallmark of our pluralistic multi-cultural society. We are an exception to European/Western concepts of Nationalism.

In Pakistan there is a common language, a common religion yet Pakistan is facing insurgencies all around in spite of adhering to the European/Western concepts of Nationalism.

PS: Singh "community" (Rajputs, Jats, Sikhs, Gorkhas, Dogras etc.) is perhaps the largest, most widespread, most diverse community in India.

 

[Singh]

An interesting essay by former RAW Chief on Bstan.

Balochistan-Pakistan's Other Colony ​

VIKRAM SOOD'S PERSPECTIVES...: Balochistan-Pakistan's Other Colony

 

[Yusuf]

Balochistan is the largest provice and is one of the four provinces of Pakistan.The British Empire on October 1, as paramount power in the region reached a security agreement with the princely state of Kalat which was ruled by the Khan of Kalat 1887 but the kingdom retained its sovereignty in all other respects. In 1947, when Pakistan became independent, Pakistan signed a standstill agreement with the state of Kalat (covering 23% of the territory of the current province of Balochistan) which recognized its autonomy and sovereignty, subject to future negotiation of the relationship. However, both houses of the Kalat parliament had asserted independence in 1947 and the Khan subsequently acknowledged that he had no right to accede to Pakistan's demand for annexation which he said he had only done under the threat of military force.Since then, a number of separatist groups in the province have engaged in an armed struggle against the Pakistani government; the first was led by Prince Karim Khan in 1948, and later by Nawab Nowroz Khan in 1968]. These tribal uprisings were limited in scope, a more serious insurgency was led by the Marri and Mengal tribes between 1973 and [977. All these groups fought for the existence of a "Greater Balochistan" — a single independent state ruled under tribal jirgas (a tribal system of government) and comprising the historical Balochistan region, presently split between Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. In 2005 there was another struggle to achieve these aims, in 2006, the Pakistan army killed Nawab Akbar Bugti, the man they blamed for the violence. Although Bugti had been proclaimed an offender by former president Pervez Musharraf he has become a hero for separatists.However,he is accused of devouring federal funds for the development of the province,as well as gas royalties,and was also accused of operating unauthorized jails and dungeons in his territory.

Wiki.

Now dont tell me that all was honky dory there. The Baloch have always wanted to be independent.

 

[qsaark]

Clearly enforcement of one culture(Urdu Language etc.) nor islamisation has been able to forge nationalism in Pakistan, so what's the way forward ?

Singh Saheb,

This is a an important question you have raised. I myself is after finding an answer to this very important infact a critical question. I think we should debate around this question.

 

[thakur_ritesh]

Qsaark,

the language most of us respond to is respect and honor and with the way the things are today development in terms of economic prosperity where the effected persons economic health directly improves helps the cause in a big big way. these are the precise two solutions our two governments are talking about for both j&k and baluchistan. not sure to what extent the same is being implemented in baluchistan but the same is in progress in j&k.

when one says honor and respect, one has to give the other what is due to them and while doing that the same not be shown as if some favor is being done for them. you make sure the basic human rights that are applicable else where in the country be applicable in the effected areas. a sense of justice has to be brought in where if someone has faced the wrong the justice prevails or else a room for helplessness gets created which further increases insecurities of people. the population of that area needs to be made to feel a sense of belongingness rather than be made to feel as if they are a burden on the system hence be alienated. if people have genuine concerns they be addressed to with utmost priority and while addressing such concerns, solutions have to be of local, grass root level in nature and the same not be imposed from higher up bureaucracy which generally has no or very less clues of the real nature of problem, while doing this the inaptness on part of bureaucracy and extreme corruption that the system is plagued with be removed, or else whatever is done will simply fizzle out in the name of these two major ills.

economic prosperity gives people a ray of hope for a better tomorrow where an environment gets created where people have an assurance of an economic security for themselves, and their families of which their future generations are the most important component. here to begin with, employment generation is the most important from where one can assure herself/himself a steady source of income at the end of the month. with this measure the most important void of no sense of belongingness gets addressed to, to some extent. when one points to development the base for this gets built up through quality education, which in most of the terrorism infested areas is generally least. if you educate a person one has the ability to nurture thinking which is progressive in nature which would think of development and a better tomorrow than think of picking up an AK and be on a killing spree. once the two solutions are in place (steady income and education) then one needs to provide ways through which one can increase the earnings of people many fold and this can happen only under two circumstances, one is when environment gets created which gives room for entrepreneurship to prosper and second when private sector moves in with better salaries and perks.

what i have outlined can possibly be a solution in any terrorism infested area, be it j&k or baluchistan or any other place, but i am assuming the solution for baluchistan should be more or less on similar lines to the one that is in place for j&k.